Vancouver answers from a Vancouverite

[xlxo]

A little tip for you cabbing to the cruise terminal.... ask the driver if it's a long queue to the baggage area. If the line is long (noonish).... ask the driver to drop you next door in front of the Pan Pacific. Instead of being stuck for 15 minutes (and paying for it).... just drag the luggage into the hotel, down the parking elevator and over to the baggage reception area. I assure you.... the driver would prefer not to be stuck either.

[scottbee]

A little tip for you cabbing to the cruise terminal.... ask the driver if it's a long queue to the baggage area. If the line is long (noonish).... ask the driver to drop you next door in front of the Pan Pacific. Instead of being stuck for 15 minutes (and paying for it).... just drag the luggage into the hotel, down the parking elevator and over to the baggage reception area. I assure you.... the driver would prefer not to be stuck either.

 

Quicker/easier to not even go into the hotel. There's a small poorly marked ramp to the left of the car ramp that takes you there directly from the street.

[EliseL]

Hi. We're going to the Capilano suspension bridge. Is it as scary as it looks in the pictures? I'm trying to push myself as I have a mild fear of heights. I'm hoping I don't get there and can't go through with it.

[Putterdude]

Hi. We're going to the Capilano suspension bridge. Is it as scary as it looks in the pictures? I'm trying to push myself as I have a mild fear of heights. I'm hoping I don't get there and can't go through with it.

I am not certain what kind of answer you are looking for....but yes there is very much an element of fear on both venues at the CSB. Combined with the height aspect there is the matter that the bridge moves. If you have a fear of heights, the CSB may very well a waste of money. My advice would be to look at some other attractions in Vancouver where you are on terra ferma.

[hawk/hornfan]

First of all I have been reading this thread for months (almost of all it) and thank you for your information. There is a group on our roll call for Sept 22 sailing fron Vancouver to Hawaii that are arriving a few days early about do a precruise meeting for dinner on Sept 21 in downtown. It is a long ways still and not sure of numbers but any suggestions for a group to have fun would be appreciated. Also, I think that if any of you Vancouverite's who are in town would be welcome to join us!

[Urban trekker]

Would love to join you but I will be on a 10 day Alaskan cruise on that date.

 

Cheers!

 

Dennis

[martincath]

First of all I have been reading this thread for months (almost of all it) and thank you for your information. There is a group on our roll call for Sept 22 sailing fron Vancouver to Hawaii that are arriving a few days early about do a precruise meeting for dinner on Sept 21 in downtown. It is a long ways still and not sure of numbers but any suggestions for a group to have fun would be appreciated. Also, I think that if any of you Vancouverite's who are in town would be welcome to join us!

Nice of you to extend the invitation!

 

As to a suggested restaurant, unless your group is small and very similar in budget & food tastes, I would not stray far from the usual group restaurant formula, i.e. a mid-range or lower priced option with a wide menu that will actually accept booking for a group of your size.

 

The good news is that since Sep 21 is a Monday there will be a lot of restaurants willing to book you - I'm involved in some Meetup groups and trying to book a large group in this burg (anything over a dozen) is a nightmare, with many restos having a 'no big groups on Thu/Fri/Sat unless they are big enough to book the whole place' policy. Restos with private rooms for a dozen or so are almost all on the higher end of the price range.

 

Without more info on group size, price range, hotel location(s) you're all in I'd be tempted to suggest Milestones or Earls as safe bets. Yaletown Brewing will also take big groups in the restaurant side - while not quite so extensive a menu, this would also guarantee happiness for attendees who wanted to sample local brews plus they offer a few fixed-price meal options for groups so the exact food price would be known in advance with no bill-splitting hassles.

[Lulubelle45]

Steamworks Pub near a Canada place hosted our large union group. Seating and mingling with great pub fare. It's an option

[xlxo]

Hi. We're going to the Capilano suspension bridge. Is it as scary as it looks in the pictures? I'm trying to push myself as I have a mild fear of heights. I'm hoping I don't get there and can't go through with it.

I hear from the staff... 1 in 20 people are unable to make the crossing.

 

[YOUTUBE]pJdkKFNLYOE[/YOUTUBE]

 

Some thoughts...

• you should try crossing when it's dark... you can't see the bottom!
  
  
  
• it's 70 meters or 230 feet above the river. On the road to Whistler... there is now a Skypilot bridge... it's 10 times taller at 880 meters/2900 feet above sea level .
  
  
  http://www.seatoskygondola.com/adventures/sky-pilot-suspension-bridge
  
• it's tougher to cross when the Cap bridge is busy swaying with a tour bus dump. Going there when it first opens or during the quieter dinner times makes the crossing easier.
  
• If you go to China..... the forbidden city and great wall is a must do.... for Vancouver, I say one needs to cross the suspension bridge to say your been to Vancouver.
  
• Don't forget your certificate when you collect stamps!
  

[xlxo]

There is a group on our roll call for Sept 22 sailing fron Vancouver to Hawaii that are arriving a few days early about do a precruise meeting for dinner on Sept 21 in downtown. It is a long ways still and not sure of numbers but any suggestions for a group to have fun would be appreciated. Also, I think that if any of you Vancouverite's who are in town would be welcome to join us!

 

Nice of you to extend the invitation!

 

As to a suggested restaurant, unless your group is small and very similar in budget & food tastes, I would not stray far from the usual group restaurant formula, i.e. a mid-range or lower priced option with a wide menu that will actually accept booking for a group of your size.

 

Without more info on group size, price range, hotel location(s) you're all in I'd be tempted to suggest Milestones or Earls as safe bets. Yaletown Brewing will also take big groups in the restaurant side - while not quite so extensive a menu, this would also guarantee happiness for attendees who wanted to sample local brews plus they offer a few fixed-price meal options for groups so the exact food price would be known in advance with no bill-splitting hassles.

I like martincath's suggested "safe bets". Otherwise, I like to think what's Vancouver unique speciality.... Sushi? Asian choices? Live King Crab (if the group wants to really remember Vancouver)?

 

I know of one near-downtown location that can inhale a cruise ship crowd.... The Floata restaurant in Chinatown was built to feed 1000 people at one time. However, I don't think your numbers are that high and not everyone wants to eat Chinese. It would be a good choice if you wanted to do a lunch gathering instead of dinner. It's like going to high-tea, but Chinese style...

 

For a smaller group interested in sushi.... Tanpopo fixed price AYCE (all you can eat) is another option. Here's an old menu... the prices may have gone up a little....

https://www.facebook.com/tanpoposushi#!/tanpoposushi/photos/a.191110264250141.54004.127028877324947/569100039784493/?type=1&theater

[love2shop2]

I like martincath's suggested "safe bets". Otherwise, I like to think what's Vancouver unique speciality.... Sushi? Asian choices? Live King Crab (if the group wants to really remember Vancouver)?

 

I know of one near-downtown location that can inhale a cruise ship crowd.... The Floata restaurant in Chinatown was built to feed 1000 people at one time. However, I don't think your numbers are that high and not everyone wants to eat Chinese. It would be a good choice if you wanted to do a lunch gathering instead of dinner. It's like going to high-tea, but Chinese style...

 

For a smaller group interested in sushi.... Tanpopo fixed price AYCE (all you can eat) is another option. Here's an old menu... the prices may have gone up a little....

https://www.facebook.com/tanpoposushi#!/tanpoposushi/photos/a.191110264250141.54004.127028877324947/569100039784493/?type=1&theater

 

According to Yelp Tanpopo is closed. Is there more than one location?

[love2shop2]

Our cruise ends up in Vancouver and we will be spending one night there before heading south to Seattle. We will be staying at the Best Western Plus Sands. We want to have dim sum after we drop off our luggage at the hotel. Is there a decent place for dim sum around our hotel area instead of having to catch a cab back to Chinatown? Also any dinner recommendations for that area?

[bellebaby]

Embarkation at Canada Place...

 

Still one security screening area for all departures? In other words, if three ships depart on one day, they will all use the same security screening area?

 

Thanks.

 

B

[Urban trekker]

I will try and answer your question - over the pass winter a number of improvements have been undertaken to handle the few extra ships that come with the permanent closing of Ballantyne Pier as a cruise terminal - one of those is to have convention center hall C used as the waiting area for the third ship with a new adjacent escalator to take you down to the cruise level.

 

I was down there the other day as part of a group exercise for some volunteering that I do and did get a chance to go through some but not all of the secure area - the Homeland Security appeared to have about 15 kiosks available - whether they will be manned is something only DHS can answer.

 

I will be embarking there in little over a week so will try and see how things go. On the day I disembark May 1, 2015 there are three ships in port - that will be the first real test to see if the new improvements are working.

 

Hopefully this update will help you a little.

 

Cheers!

 

Dennis

[martincath]

Our cruise ends up in Vancouver and we will be spending one night there before heading south to Seattle. We will be staying at the Best Western Plus Sands. We want to have dim sum after we drop off our luggage at the hotel. Is there a decent place for dim sum around our hotel area instead of having to catch a cab back to Chinatown? Also any dinner recommendations for that area?

Depends how you define close - if you want to just walk a couple of blocks, nope. A mile on foot though or a very short cab ride though will get you to Kirin's downtown branch - this small local chain is consistently well-rated by critics and diners as having good dim sum (frankly much better than anything inside Chinatown).

 

On the other dinner options nearby front:

 

Tanpopo died late last year I think - definitely shuttered since the beginning of 2015.

 

I think that by far the best combo of food quality, value and view is in Cactus Club English Bay. Right on the seawall, sunsets to die for when the weather behaves, and very consistently-prepared good grub. The tuna tataki and prawn ravioli dishes are personal faves.

 

Kingyo isn't far up Denman, and is arguably the best izakaya in town (not my personal fave, but a couple of foodie friends and I agree to disagree!)

 

Kintaro Ramen is another 'many people think they're the best in the city' place. Again, I think the absolute best is elsewhere, but can't argue with the ravening hordes who queue up daily - seriously, any ramen joint people will queue up for is a ramen joint worth eating in.

 

The Fat Badger is somewhere I absolutely adore - a bit over half a mile from BW Sands, but if you want really good gastropub fare with unabashed use of fat & protein this is somewhere to go for a real belly-buster. Do not leave without trying the black pudding - and as an Englishman, Chef Taylor also knows how to make a good curry (which as all true curry aficionados know reaches the pinnacle of expression in the UK). Good imported English ales too.

[bellebaby]

I will try and answer your question - over the pass winter a number of improvements have been undertaken to handle the few extra ships that come with the permanent closing of Ballantyne Pier as a cruise terminal - one of those is to have convention center hall C used as the waiting area for the third ship with a new adjacent escalator to take you down to the cruise level.

 

I was down there the other day as part of a group exercise for some volunteering that I do and did get a chance to go through some but not all of the secure area - the Homeland Security appeared to have about 15 kiosks available - whether they will be manned is something only DHS can answer.

 

I will be embarking there in little over a week so will try and see how things go. On the day I disembark May 1, 2015 there are three ships in port - that will be the first real test to see if the new improvements are working.

 

Hopefully this update will help you a little.

 

Cheers!

 

Dennis

 

 

Hi, Dennis

 

Thanks for the information. I think we will be on the "third" ship May 9th. We're taking the Golden for 3 days from Vancouver to San Francisco and then 10 days R/T from San Francisco to Alaska.

 

We've sailed from Canada Place several times in the past. Are you thinking that security screening (not Immigration/Customs) for the new area will be in a separate area? I guess time will tell.

 

Thanks again.

 

B

[bumbletigger]

DH and I will be staying at The Pan Pacific Hotel 2 nights pre cruise in June. We are a little concerned about meal options in the area. We do not like fancy upscale places. We are more of the Casual bar and grill or cafe type people. Where would you recommend going that is within walking distance or even a short can ride away for meals that will fit this description?

[martincath]

DH and I will be staying at The Pan Pacific Hotel 2 nights pre cruise in June. We are a little concerned about meal options in the area. We do not like fancy upscale places. We are more of the Casual bar and grill or cafe type people. Where would you recommend going that is within walking distance or even a short can ride away for meals that will fit this description?

Within a short cab ride there are (insert-favourite-curse-word-here)tons of mid-range and cheaper restos. You can walk to several pubs & cafes within less than ten minutes, and there's even an underground food court that you can get into without even going outside.

 

Personal reccos for casual dining within a couple of blocks of the PP are Tap & Barrel (wide range of local beers & wines by the glass, good pub grub, best patio in the city) and Rogue (beers more focused on the whole PNW, always several IPAs, and a very broad menu) on the pub side; Hapa Izakaya (Japanese Tapas-meets-pub) if you are good with Asian food - it's not just sushi, there are noodle bowls, salads, and recognizably Western-friendly options too.

 

A few food trucks are usually stationed close by during the day too - check this link for info (or download the app to your phone). Walkable-within-fifteen-minutes brings you all sorts of options along Robson & Alberni like Milestones and various chain burger joints.

 

If you're avoiding upscale don't consider the breakfasting in the PP - the words 'over' and 'priced' apply to pretty much every 4* or better Vancouver hotel breakfast. Try Scoozis for a sit-down brekky, or throw yourself into the Canadian way of life with some Timbits and coffee (or various actually-quite-tasty breakfast sandwiches and the like).

 

Warning - Timmies is addictive, you may never look at Starbucks the same way again. I think they lace their coffee with the same crack cocaine blend that the Girl Scouts put in their cookies...

 

I find it hard to believe that it's the price of upscale dining that's the issue if you're staying two nights in the PP, so I assume it's more of an ambience/vibe issue? If I'm right, you'll be quite comfortable in any Vancouver restaurant except about half-a-dozen - Five Sails, Hawksworth, Arc, and Oru are the only high falutin' vibe places near you, and even in them you'll see more people dressed like lumberjacks than for a wedding.

 

Vancouver does not 'Do' Fine Dining - dress codes are non-existent, formal service even a la Russe let alone a la Francais is almost impossible to find, and if you want a sommelier you need to ask for one even in the places that have them.

 

In other words, unless you hate good food don't restrict yourself to just casual eateries - most people on the ship will be dressed fancier in the main dining room on a regular night than they will be in even our swankiest restos...

[bumbletigger]

Thank you so much for the quick and detailed response. We don't like the food at the upscale places; its not necessarily the price or the dress part. My husband is sensitive to overly spiced/sauced/flavored foods. He has difficulty finding something he can eat without being a pain.

 

We are very familiar with Tim Hortons as we do have one down here in Phoenix where the Coyotes play. It does not have all the items a Tim's usually has, but it does well for us. When it first went in, you could not even get close to the counter without waiting for 45 minutes.

[xlxo]

Embarkation at Canada Place...

 

Still one security screening area for all departures? In other words, if three ships depart on one day, they will all use the same security screening area?

When I was there for two ship departures... there was a common screening area. When finished there was would be reps waiting for you to turn down different corridors to reach the appropriate ship.

[love2shop2]

Depends how you define close - if you want to just walk a couple of blocks, nope. A mile on foot though or a very short cab ride though will get you to Kirin's downtown branch - this small local chain is consistently well-rated by critics and diners as having good dim sum (frankly much better than anything inside Chinatown).

 

On the other dinner options nearby front:

 

Tanpopo died late last year I think - definitely shuttered since the beginning of 2015.

 

I think that by far the best combo of food quality, value and view is in Cactus Club English Bay. Right on the seawall, sunsets to die for when the weather behaves, and very consistently-prepared good grub. The tuna tataki and prawn ravioli dishes are personal faves.

 

Kingyo isn't far up Denman, and is arguably the best izakaya in town (not my personal fave, but a couple of foodie friends and I agree to disagree!)

 

Kintaro Ramen is another 'many people think they're the best in the city' place. Again, I think the absolute best is elsewhere, but can't argue with the ravening hordes who queue up daily - seriously, any ramen joint people will queue up for is a ramen joint worth eating in.

 

The Fat Badger is somewhere I absolutely adore - a bit over half a mile from BW Sands, but if you want really good gastropub fare with unabashed use of fat & protein this is somewhere to go for a real belly-buster. Do not leave without trying the black pudding - and as an Englishman, Chef Taylor also knows how to make a good curry (which as all true curry aficionados know reaches the pinnacle of expression in the UK). Good imported English ales too.

 

Thanks for the great suggestions. Quite a nice variety too.

[xlxo]

Our cruise ends up in Vancouver and we will be spending one night there before heading south to Seattle. We will be staying at the Best Western Plus Sands. We want to have dim sum after we drop off our luggage at the hotel. Is there a decent place for dim sum around our hotel area instead of having to catch a cab back to Chinatown? Also any dinner recommendations for that area?

 

Depends how you define close - if you want to just walk a couple of blocks, nope. A mile on foot though or a very short cab ride though will get you to Kirin's downtown branch - this small local chain is consistently well-rated by critics and diners as having good dim sum (frankly much better than anything inside Chinatown).

 

On the other dinner options nearby front:

 

Tanpopo died late last year I think - definitely shuttered since the beginning of 2015.

I have fond memories of Tanpopo. The long lines out front. AYCE wild salmon. Thanks for the operations update. I noticed something was different when I was last there 4 years ago.

 

I agree Kirin's downtown branch is your best choice for traditional downtown Dim Sum. There are other downtown places (eg Hon's), but the experience is not the same. As the only downtown location... you might want reservations. If they are busy... look to

• Dinesty (Broadway)
  
• Floata (Vancouver Chinatown)
  
• Kirin Seafood (Cambie @ 12th)
  
• Sun Sui Wah on Main
  

Did a Google and found this place near the Best Western (10 min walk)... has anyone tried it? I've been to the Richmond one and it's not the regular Cantonese Dim Sum I prefer for a first timer.

• http://www.urbanspoon.com/cities/14-vancouver/restaurants/1706944-dinesty-dumpling-house-robson/menu
  
• http://blogs.vancouversun.com/2013/10/16/my-review-of-dinesty-on-robson-chinese-restaurant/
  
• http://www.urbanspoon.com/cities/14/restaurants/1706944/menu_photos/320956
  

[martincath]

Thank you so much for the quick and detailed response. We don't like the food at the upscale places; its not necessarily the price or the dress part. My husband is sensitive to overly spiced/sauced/flavored foods. He has difficulty finding something he can eat without being a pain.

Glad to help!

 

Fancy restos in Vancouver aren't necessarily big on lots of spice & sauce - it's mostly about 'farm to table' locavore, seasonal food here, and that goes hand-in-hand with minimal seasoning designed to bring out the flavour of the food, not cover it.

 

Being diabetic but a serious food lover I am constantly asking detailed questions about sauces (hidden sugars are the issue in my case) and for special requests to accommodate my needs - I've yet to have a problem in any of the fancy places round town, as almost everything arrives raw to the resto so they know every single thing that's done to the food because they do it in-house.

 

Generally the cheaper the resto, the more arrives pre-made from suppliers ready for the grill/oven/fryer and the less likely they can actually accommodate a request to change a dish.

 

Assuming raw food isn't an issue, sashimi could be ideal for your hubster - catch/kill/chill/slice/eat sashimi platters with brown rice and salads on the side are readily available here, with no seasoning at all pre-added to the fish. If he doesn't want to use the ginger/soy/wasabi supplied on the side he doesn't need to use them.

[Urban trekker]

I was down at the cruise terminal today - there appears to be just the one screening area but there is a big improvement in the DHS area - they have installed the automated passport scanning machines - similiar to those used at YVR so that should speed that up part of the process for those heading to Alaska this season.

 

The new area in Hall C is a holding - pre-boarding area - this has been used in the past -but there wasn't the direct access down to the cruise level.

 

Cheers!

 

Dennis

[sept10dsm]

Just wondering if all is the same as about 2 yr ago at the Accent Inn in Barnaby. Thank you. We stayed there and had a wonderful experience both with the hotel and their transportation. Friends of ours will be needing a place to stay. I just want to be sure all is still pretty much the same. Thank you.